And the word became flesh
Published Dec 31, 2025 12:05 am
|
Updated Dec 30, 2025 03:58 pm
REFLECTIONS TODAY
In one of his Christmas sermons, Pope Benedict XVI mentions that “the Fathers of the Church, in their Greek translation of the Old Testament, found a passage from the prophet Isaiah that Paul also quotes in order to show how God’s new ways had already been foretold in the Old Testament. There we read: ‘God made his Word short, he abbreviated it’ (Is 10:23; Rom 9:28). The Fathers interpreted this in two ways. The Son himself is the Word, the Logos; the eternal Word became small—small enough to fit into a manger. He became a child, so that the Word could be grasped by us. In this way God teaches us to love the little ones. In this way he teaches us to love the weak. In this way he teaches us respect for children” (Homily, Christmas Midnight Mass, Dec. 24, 2006).
The second meaning of the Word being made short is that while experts made the Sacred Scriptures entangled in details and in particular problems, almost to the extent of losing an overall perspective, Jesus “abbreviated” the Word—he showed us once more its deeper simplicity and unity. Everything taught by the Law and the Prophets is summed up—he says—in the command: “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind… You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Mt 22:37-40).
The third meaning of “short” refers to the manger where ox and ass (Is 1:3), representing Jews and the pagans—and thus all of humanity—in need of food. Man needs nourishment for his soul: he needs meaning that can fill his life. Thus, for the Fathers, the manger of the animals became the symbol of the altar, on which lies the Bread, which is Christ himself: the true food for our hearts.
First Reading • 1 Jn 2:18-21
Children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that the antichrist was coming, so now many antichrists have appeared. Thus we know this is the last hour. They went out from us, but they were not really of our number; if they had been, they would have remained with us. Their desertion shows that none of them was of our number. But you have the anointing that comes from the Holy One, and you all have knowledge. I write to you not because you do not know the truth but because you do, and because every lie is alien to the truth.
Responsorial Psalm • Ps 96
“Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!”
Source: “365 Days with the Lord 2025,” St. Paul’s, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 632-895-9701; E-mail: [email protected]; Website: http://www.stpauls.ph.